Iceland! Last one.

The last day of the Golden Circle Riding Adventure in Iceland is really something special.  We trailered the horses out to the Atlantic ocean to the black volcanic sand beach. There we mounted up to ride the beach, the marshlands, and then through the pastures of horses back to the farm.

The highlight of the beach ride is getting to gallop along the sand. The horses love it and want to race each other and the wind. You feel like you are flying.  Its totally exhilarating!

Our Wild Women group - AKA Wild Bunch of Bitches!

While we often rode nose to tail on the trails, getting out to the beach was a different story!  We asked about those concrete things on the right and apparently they were put there to help stop erosion.

Apparently its very rare to be able to see the glaciers from this beach but we obviously had pristine weather conditions.  It was still early and cool when we arrived but by the end of the day I was riding in a long sleeve t-shirt and was quite hot. I think this is one of my favorite pictures from the trip.

Taken by our Polish guide, Paula.  She was everywhere this day!

She included herself in this shot!

Sara with her two extra horses in tow.  Interestingly, the Icelandic horses love to ride the beaches but they do NOT like the waves.  They will walk through still water all day (and we did!) and rivers aren't a problem but salty waves...nope.

Paula being silly on the beach! I'm sure she got wet!

Heading into the marshes. We walked for miles through water!

Sometimes it was more water than grass. But also so pretty.

Another of Paula's pictures since I'm in it also taking a picture just up ahead with our Michigan pal brining up the rear with me.

Lunch break!

An old cemetery where we stopped for the horses to graze.

Almost back to the farm.  We rode through pastures of hundreds of horses.  Some came up to visit, others just ignored us.  The farm has 400 horses at any one time with about 100 of them used for trail rides.  The others are too young or too old.  They don't start using them for guests until they are about 10 years old.  Most of them live to about 40 years old.

Jill took this picture of her favorite horse.  He has specks of blue and gold in his eyes - very unusual.

I think Jill took this video but that's me in the purple coat.

So long Wild Women!  It was fabulous beyond my wildest imagination!